


The Safe-House Incident

by Insomnia_in_Portland



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe- Grimm, Darcy Goes Grimm, Darcy is a Grimm, Gen, Mass Wesen Attack, Someone Puts a Hit on Darcy, Violence, Weapons, the avengers find out
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:59:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomnia_in_Portland/pseuds/Insomnia_in_Portland
Summary: Wesen Life Lesson #5:When someone powerful offers you money to slay a Grimm, don't accept.  It will not end well.Wesen Life Lesson #4:Never assume sheer numbers will give you victory against a Grimm.Wesen Life Lesson #1:Never attack a Grimm you think is weak.  They are often the most dangerous.(A sequel in which Darcy's secret becomes known not only to the Avengers, but to parties more than happy to see her dead.)





	1. Wonder

**Author's Note:**

> Hello  
> This is a sequel to _Practice_. I wasn't actually planning on doing one, but some of the reviews from last time got me thinking. This won't be a long fic, but it will have violence and possible blood and gore. 
> 
> Just a fair warning

Darcy felt the atmosphere of the cafeteria change the moment she stepped inside. It had a tangibility that made her pause briefly. She sighed, resuming her walk to one of the dessert tables. Her ears picked up the hissed whispers as she passed by the tables. Her skin prickled from the heavy, curious stares of the patrons and staff. 

Inwardly, she sighed. For agents and staff trained to expect the strange and unexpected, they were having a hard time doing just that. She knew she had been dismissed as a useless liability by pretty much everyone in the facility. Injuring Clint was forcing them to reconsider their view of her. She was no longer a liability. Now she was a threat who downed an Avenger. Speaking of Avengers…

Darcy sighed again. The team was now divided over her actions. Natasha wanted her head. No longer was she interested in training Darcy or solving the mystery of her skills. Now she wanted to skin her for hurting Clint so badly. Steve and Bucky were also angry with her. Unfortunately, they came to the conclusion she was a secret plant for some nefarious organization. Clint’s unwillingness to speak of what had happened only added fuel to their determination to unravel her secrets. Most of the team just watched her. Bruce, Sam, Scott, Hope, Pietro, Wanda, and Vision continued to treat Darcy normally. Darcy, though, quickly picked up on their wariness. No amount of friendliness could hide it.

Tony was so far her only ally. He did not act wary like the rest or angry like the other three. Instead, he treated her as he usually did. The others were aghast that he seemed to care little for Clint’s injuries. Steve was furious at Tony’s refusal to sic FRIDAY on Darcy’s background. It was the AI’s actions that made clear Tony was on her side. FRIDAY now warned her when Steve, Natasha or Bucky were in her vicinity. This allowed Darcy to avoid them. FRIDAY kept her apprised of Clint’s progress. This was helpful considering Steve had banned her from seeing him. Tony explained that Steve’s need to know what happened overrode Clint’s insistence that Darcy was not going to hurt him. 

For his part, Clint was occupying the grey area between forgiveness and revenge. He was still stuck in the medical wing, mending. She knew he knew of Natasha, Steve, and Bucky’s behavior. She also knew that he knew he could stop them by confessing what had happened. The fact he had not indicated his need for self-preservation and a desire to get back at her were in play. 

Still, he was not all bad. Much discussion had occurred during his first few days in recovery. Natasha wanted to ban her outright from seeing him. It was obvious she wanted to interrogate him privately. Clint ignored her and asked for Darcy. (This marked the only time Darcy had ever seen Natasha visibly apoplectic.) His shame-faced apology for sneaking up on her melted the glacier of suspicion in Darcy’s mind. It was only when she learned the full extent of his injuries that Darcy swallowed her Grimm pride and apologized. He seemingly accepted.

Darcy learned a lot during those discussions. Clint was one of thousands of wesen working for SHIELD. They kept their heads down to avoid causing panic. They refrained from woging unless a situation called for it. Darcy sighed when she learned that many of them wanted to reveal their existence to their normal peers. They chafed under the yoke of normalcy. Yet the triad of Coulson, Hill, and Fury (Darcy laughed outright at learning all three were wesen) ensured no one revealed their world to the wider SHIELD community. Darcy understood the caution. She knew many wesen still saw humans as mere prey. They longed for a return to the “glory days” when humans feared them.

As far as he knew, Clint was the only wesen on the Avengers. Natasha knew nothing of his “second nature.” While his trust in her was deep, he dared not share this with her. He knew there was a high possibility she could react badly. He admitted it was lonely not having another wesen on the team, but also admitted Bruce was the next-best thing.

The dessert table came into view. Darcy’s taste buds whimpered she glimpsed the sweet bounty piled elegantly on the flat countertop. Receding thoughts of Clint made her wonder if he would appreciate a treat after days of healthy food. From what FRIDAY told her, Natasha was personally monitoring his food to ensure he did not eat his usual junk. Darcy reminded herself to ask FRIDAY once she got back to her quarters. She snaked her way around two agents and sped toward her goal.

Situated near a far corner of the cafeteria, the dessert table was one of several that were a beloved part of the facility. This one had a heavy metal base supporting a thick granite countertop and the desserts piled on it. The desserts were wide-ranging and accommodating. There were cookies, pie slices, cake slices, tortes, and specialty items. (Anyone wanting a cold dessert like ice cream had to a different section of the cafeteria.) They were arranged in a rising spiral. Popular items were situated at the bottom while the rest was at the top. They were placed on different colored plates. Frequent patrons knew the plates were code for dietary restrictions. 

Finally reaching it, Darcy walked around, surveying it. After her day, she wanted to indulge with some sweet double-fudge cookies. Alas, there were only frosted red velvet and white-chocolate-champagne cookies. Huffing, she searched for something else. 

_A piece of pie would be cool_ , she thought, _but that peach kuchen looks awesome. Ooooo, there’s apple cobbler! Oh, and it’s gluten-free._

So enraptured was she by the treats that she did not notice the suspicious looks all seated nearby were throwing her. Many were clustered together, heatedly whispering. It made no sense. How could this loud, curvaceous civilian down one of the Avengers? Sure, Clint Barton had no superpowers, but he was a strong fighter. How could she have injured him so badly? A few brash individuals debated whether she would react similarly if they snuck up on her. Their peers egged them to try. Other level-headed peers silenced the debate by gesturing to the individual walking through the cafeteria straight to Darcy.

Darcy finally made her choice. Denied her cookies, she decided to go with the kuchen. She reached up and seized the plate it was on. She lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply. Her stomach whimpered as her brain delighted in the fruity aroma. Knowing she needed it more than anyone else, she reached down and picked up the plate of apple cobbler. As she was one the backside of the dessert bar, she did not notice the individual coming to a stop a few feet away.

“Ms. Lewis?”

Darcy paused. She peeked around the left side of the bar and found Tony Stark standing casually before her. She took in his appearance. He was dressed in a stained grey shirt, jeans, and shoes stained with blue splotches. His hair was messier than usual and his eyes were bloodshot. Darcy raised a brow.

“Were you up all night again?” she asked.

Tony scoffed. “I wish. I actually went to sleep at a normal time, but a big blonde dick named Steve decided to break into my lab.”

Darcy groaned sympathetically. She could only imagine the carnage Steve had left.

“On the plus side, I managed to close the portal to some hellscape. On the downside, we need to talk.”

Darcy ordered her racing heart to calm down. “Is this about Clint?”

Tony opened his mouth, but quickly shut it. He looked over his shoulder. Darcy looked beyond him and found nearly everyone seated nearby looking intensely at them. Tony looked back at her. Noticing the plates in her hands, he turned his gaze to the desserts. He reached down, grabbed two plates of chocolate cake, and with a beckoning tilt of his head, began walking away. Darcy followed after him, clutching her plates tightly.

“Don’t worry about forks,” Tony threw over his shoulder. “I have plenty.”

The denizens of the cafeteria watched the two make their way out carefully. Their eyes shifted between them, seeking any indication of possible problems. For his part, Stark was casual. His demeanor gave away nothing save fatigue. Darcy looked bewildered. She stared at Stark’s back as though it held the secret to her impending doom. Both paid little heed to their audience. They vacated the cafeteria in silence. It was only when both were gone that discussion resumed. 

A few minutes later, something odd happened.

It was the omnipresent FRIDAY who noticed it. A mass symphony of buzzing, ringing, and odd musical choices erupted throughout the cafeteria. As she watched through the cafeteria monitors, FRIDAY saw the vast majority of the patrons were staring at their phones. She knew this was not unusual as the facility hosted hundreds of SHIELD agents. It was not uncommon for several to be summoned at once for a meeting, but this was far too many to be called for a simple meeting.

FRIDAY accessed her files and went over them. There was nothing that required such a high number of people. She paid heed to their faces and bodies, seeking clues. It became apparent that something was going on. Everyone who stared at their phones was still, confused. They stared at their screens in utter bewilderment. It seemed whatever message they had received was something they were not expecting. 

After a few minutes, FRIDAY watched an exodus vacate the cafeteria. She counted the numbers leaving. Something strange was indeed going on. This was far too many people. Others in the cafeteria were apparently thinking the same thing. They watched the exodus with curious eyes. Some gestured with suspicion. As the crowd continued to leave, FRIDAY gathered her data and sent a message to her boss. She directed it to a secure, private line that only Tony could access.

Tony would later tell her it was not as private as he thought.


	2. An Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not pleased with how this turned out, but am posting it. It's high time I get back to this anyway.

As he led her down the main hallway that connected the cafeteria to the secondary science building, Tony’s mind raced over what he was going to say. He knew what he WANTED to say, but also knew it was too soon to reveal his hand. Things were too tense to open THAT can of worms. He knew she would deny being a Grimm and any knowledge of that world. Besides, he knew he would then have to admit spying on Darcy as she practiced alone. 

He knew what he was SUPPOSED to say. Oh, he knew what he was supposed say. He was now tasked with telling Darcy she had to go. No one wanted her around.

Tony bristled as he recalled the days leading up to today. It grated deeply how no one save himself was on Darcy’s side. No one but he defended her against Steve and Natasha’s witch hunt. Anger roiled in his bloodstream because that is what this was: a witch hunt. 

Steve and Natasha railed against Darcy. They called her a liar, dangerous, untrustworthy. They declared that someone capable of downing a trained SHIELD agent and Avenger had no place in their organization. Neither blamed Clint for anything. In their eyes, he was the victim. Clint said nothing. He was content to hide behind their skirts like the wesen coward he was. Natasha used her SHIELD status to initiate a deep search of Darcy’s background. She was determined to seek out where she learned her violence and who taught her. Steve supported her. He used his status as CAPTAIN AMERICA™ to pressure fanboy SHIELD agents to seek out information about Darcy’s history. No one refused him or had the chance. Any who attempted received a visit from Barnes.

Tony recognized their bluster and actions for what they were. Both were furious for not paying closer attention to Darcy. In a way, he could not blame them for feeling shocked. He never expected someone like Darcy to be capable of such violence. Still, it bothered him greatly how they excused Clint’s part in the whole mess. 

He knew Clint suspected him of knowing more. Every Avenger knew FRIDAY kept watch over the facility. On the rare chances he passed Clint’s room, he always looked in. He never went in as Natasha was almost always present. Whenever Clint looked his way, they found themselves in a brief staring contest. Tony had no idea what Clint saw on his face, but he knew it was nothing good. The good-natured exasperation Clint always had whenever Natasha was in mama-bear mode disappeared. In its place came tense apprehension. It was subtle, but obvious to him. He simply smirked at Clint’s fear before continuing on.

Things finally culminated in the meeting of yesterday. Every main and secondary Avenger was summoned into their main conference room for a meeting. Tony was somewhat surprised to see Fury, Coulson, and Hill present. As Coulson explained, they had heard about what happened and had been keeping an eye on things. Tony’s stomach twisted when he realized what the meeting was about. That feeling was confirmed when Steve launched into a tirade about Darcy’s continued presence.

Tony had enough.

_“Why do you keep excusing Clint? All you do is bitch about Lewis and how dangerous she is and you never say a word against Birdbrain!”_

_“Barton’s a victim, Stark!”_

_“No, he’s not! He was the one who snuck up on her! She was defending herself!”_

_“DEFENDING HERSELF! What she did wasn’t defending herself!” ___

__And so it went for several minutes. Tony glanced around the table, seeking support. Only Bruce looked apologetic. Everyone else was firm. It became painfully evident he was the only one on Darcy’s side. Finally, Natasha stood. Steve, then Tony, fell silent as they both knew better than to test her patience. She gave Steve a soft look before turning her attention to Tony._ _

___It was a moment Tony would curse in the days to come  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
Darcy followed Tony with a pounding heart. It wanted nothing more than to crack open her chest, hop out, and swim to the North Pole. She knew this had something to do with what happened. The fact Tony was taking her someplace isolated to talk only confirmed it. Figures at the edges of her vision stopped as she and Tony passed. The weight of their disapproving, suspicious eyes made clear who they were looking at. She did her best to ignore them. The only sign any of the eagle-eyed would catch of her nervousness were her fingers slowly clutching her plates harder._

__Tony paid her no mind. She simply followed. The doors that connected the cafeteria to the secondary science building slid open smoothly. Tony passed confidently. Darcy followed, forcing herself not to look back at those watching. Their stares jabbed at her even as the doors slid shut. Darcy paused momentarily to take a calming breath. It was too brief for she had to scramble after Tony._ _

__The floor they were on was a quiet honeycomb of blank cream walls and heavy metal doors. Their footfalls echoed quietly on the plain floor. From what Darcy remembered, this floor was home to scientists who desired quiet to run their experiments and a handful of unfinished offices. Based off the turns Tony was taking, she realized he was taking her to one of the latter._ _

__After a moment, she caught up to him in a lonely back hallway. He was disappearing into an open doorway. Darcy paused, dread filling her suddenly. She wanted to delay her inevitable doom. Yes, she knew what was coming, but that did not mean she had to rush toward it. After a moment, Tony reappeared in the doorway. He looked sympathetic._ _

__“C’mon, Darcy, let’s just get this over with.”_ _

___With a gulp, Darcy walked toward him and her doom.  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
The woman in the office watched the feed carefully. Tony had set his plates down on a white coffee table and was pulling two small, black chairs toward it. A glance around revealed he had chosen one of the unfinished offices. Boxes were stacked high between covered machines and the few pieces of furniture. Tony walked off screen, leaving the object of her ire alone._

__She studied the Grimm carefully. The bewilderment she experienced when Tony first showed her the video reemerged. It boggled her mind that THIS was a Grimm. She studied her foe carefully. The Grimm was dressed in a white sweatshirt with a faded logo on the front, jeans, and black flats. Her wavy locks were pulled back into a simple ponytail. She wore no makeup, hinting that it was a down day. To the watcher, she looked more like a child than a legendary nightmare._ _

__The woman sighed, leaning back in her chair. She wished she did not have to do what she planned to do. Circumstances, though, demanded someone intervene. It was clear Barton was not up to the task. His silence made clear he was going to move past the incident and leave the Grimm alone. That could not happen._ _

__It had taken several days to figure out what to do. If the Grimm were just a stranger, the woman would have snuck a poison into her food or drink. Watching her choke on her own blood would have given her immense delight. Unfortunately, she had to tread secretly. This Grimm had too much attention on her. She knew that if anything happened openly, it could lead to questions no wesen was ready to answer. Not only that, she knew the human Avengers would want to know more about the wesen world. Steve and Natasha in particular would try to learn about the things they had no business knowing._ _

__Grimms, Wesen, the Royals Houses, and the powers that lurked in the world and elsewhere._ _

__The Grimm’s continued existence needed to end._ _

__Tony’s reappearance drew her out of her thoughts. She watched him hand something to the Grimm as he took a seat. He kindly gestured at the other seat. The Grimm plopped onto the other seat with trepidation. Tony began digging into his cake with gusto; his guest did not right away. It took a pointed look from Tony to get her to begin eating. Neither said anything._ _

__The woman turned her attention to the second feed. She smiled._ _

__It was time to put her plan into action. The countdown to the Grimm’s death had begun._ _


End file.
